Ring of Gold Revisited

Chapter Thirty One

Waylana slid her dagger across a rock, sharpening it. Perched up on one of the beams that were still standing in the ruins, she watched as her prisoner shifted around on the floor, trying to pull free from the iron chains she'd stolen off a guard patrolling the city.

"You don't look nearly upset enough considering your circumstances," she noted duly, kicking her legs.

The corner of his mouth tilted up, though he didn't glance up at her, and asked, "Does it disappoint you?"

Dropping down, she stalked towards him, stopping near his feet. "Only a little." He lifted his head and met her gaze, unflinching, and she pursed her lips. "Okay, I lied. It's horribly disappointing. What're you scheming, Cobalt?"

He didn't answer, and that was more unnerving than anything. Waylana crouched before him, twirling the blade between her fingers, and tilted her head to the side. All Cobalt did was stare at her. She slowly extended the blade and lifted his chin with its tip, inspecting the scar running the length of his face.

"How'd you get it?" she asked.

"Why do you care?"

She smiled, though there was no emotion behind it. "So I can give you a matching one on the other side."

He chuckled, the sound deep and raspy. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Waylana didn't miss the subtle glance he cast over her shoulder, nor the way he smiled.

It was vicious.

Waylana whirled with her blade raised, her blade striking against the sword that was falling towards her head. A man swathed in dark clothes stood before her, fabric wrapped around his face to disguise him, but she could see the shock in his brown eyes as her fist slammed into his stomach.

He bent over, letting out a loud breath. She hardly had time to prepare herself before two more men wearing the same clothing stepped from the shadows, weapons raised. She moved in a slow circle, watching all of them, but when the first one lunged again, she had no choice but to let one of the others slice through Cobalt's chains.

The man's weight slammed into her. She cried out as he tackled her to the ground, rolling over and over in the dirt, and she felt the hands of another wrap around her neck.

A strangled noise left her throat as she struggled against he heavy man atop her, but it was no use. She watched helplessly as Cobalt stepped up beside her and stared down with disgust written all over his face, hazel eyes gleaming.

"Did you really think I wasn't expecting you to find me?" he sneered. "Kill her."

Waylana closed her eyes, feeling her power stir deep within her chest, and let it explode. Sunlight erupted from her skin, blinding the three guards around her, and she hissed at the heat of it.

Her blade sliced through the air, first across the neck of the man atop her, then of the man who had been strangling her. The third was screaming, heels of his palms pressing into his eyes.

"I'm blind!" he screamed, scrambling backwards. "I can't see. I can't see."

His throat slit as easily as the first two.

But Cobalt was gone, and that was an issue.

She took off through the ruins, scanning around. Scuffs in the dirt caught her eye and she followed the trail out onto the street. Glancing both ways, she caught sight of a form disappearing down an alley to the left, and with a grunt, she took off after the crime lord.

Exhaustion from using so much magic weighed on her body, but she forced herself to keep pushing forward.

It was a good thing the streets were empty, because the sight of this chase would surely spread quickly, and Waylana didn't want it to reach the wrong ears. She tore down the alley, catching sight of him once more.